Page 28 of Bet On Me, Daddy

“Ivy. My dear friend. You must have had too much to drink tonight because there isno wayI can simply sit down and have a conversation with Amanda ‘Silver’ Sterling, the greatest drummer of our generation.”

“Oh, please.” Ivy rolled her eyes. “She’s just a person. A person you’ve seen naked on more than one occasion, I might add.”

That was true. Still, watching a scene from the sidelines was different from sitting down and having a deep, heart-to-heart conversation with her personal hero. “I’ll think about it.”

“Mmhmm.”

“I will.” For probably about five seconds, but she’d think about it.

Closing her eyes again, she snuggled into Ivy’s softness. “Ivy?”

“Yes?”

“Do you know any Taylor Swift?”

“Of course I know Taylor Swift,” Ivy said with a giggle. “You want me to sing for you a bit?”

“Please?”

She’d mostly asked just to get away from the topic of Beckett. But as she lay there, snuggled in her blanket, listening to Ivy singing about strong women who loved and fought with everything they had, she couldn’t help but think about the one man who made her want to risk that kind of heartbreak again.

CHAPTER 10

BECKETT

He was going to be late for work, but for the first time in his life, he didn’t care. If he dropped dead on the street today, he’d put people in place at his company who would be able to keep Stone Investments running without a hitch. They could handle him being ten minutes late.

Of course, knowing that didn’t stop the prickles of irritation that had settled under his skin from the moment he’d gotten out of bed that morning after a night of lying awake, wondering about Ruby. Prickles that only grew sharper as he stepped into the cheerful, bustling interior of Charleston Brews.

And those prickles were not eased at all by sight of her behind the counter, her head thrown back in laughter at something the man giving his order had just said.

She didn’t seem any worse for wear after their scene, which didn’t make him feel any less prickly, but it did lighten the heaviness that had settled in his gut last night. He’d barely slept for worrying about her. How was she feeling? Had Ivy taken care of her? Given her everything she needed? Images of her crying on Ivy’s shoulder instead of his had left him staring up at the ceiling until the sun peeked through the blinds.

Hence the lateness. And the prickles.

“Next!” Ruby called, in that same lilting, cheerful voice she’d used the day before. Looking up from her register, she ran her gaze over the line that had formed with barely a second glance for him, and for a moment he thought she might be ignoring him.

But then she did an almost comical double take, her eyes going wide as they met his. The color leached from her face for a moment before it came rushing back with a vengeance and she jerked her gaze away from him to focus on the customer in front of her.

Okay, that actually did help the prickles a little bit.

As did the little glances she kept shooting his way while she waited on the people in front of him. Until, at last, it was his turn to step up to the counter. “Good morning, Ruby Red.”

The pink in her cheeks hadn’t quite faded while she was waiting on her other customers and it darkened now, making him wish they weren’t surrounded by people so he could simply yank her into his arms and kiss her senseless.

That, he was pretty sure, would get rid of the prickles for good.

“Good morning,” Ruby answered, her wide smile just a little too sparkly, like she was trying to hide something behind the flash of it. “How may I brighten your morning, um, sir?”

He had no doubt she spent her entire day calling people ‘Sir’ and ‘Ma’am’. And yet, here she was, stumbling over the word, all because of him.

Delicious.

He let his lips curve up in a smile designed to drive women mad. Especially sweet little subbies who were already a bit off balance. “You did a very good job with your suggestion yesterday. What would you suggest for me today, Ruby Red?”

Because he was watching her, and only her, he saw the way her eyes lit up at his praise. Saw the way her pupils widened, just a fraction. “The gingerbread latte. Sir.”

“Then that’s what I’ll have. Thank you.”

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